Last Updated: 6/11//02

Modern Wood Dolls (Artists and Manufacturers) E - H by Jean D. Lotz A Non-Commercial, Educational Resource     Copyright © 1996+ Jean D. Lotz All images are included with the permission of the copyright owners

Hilda S. Ege - Oslo, Norway (deceased)
need more information and more photos

10-1/2" Norwegian Peasant Woman holding a rake photo thanks to Lloyd's Auctions

The illustrated peasant woman doll by Hilda S. Ege is 10-1/2" tall with a cloth body with a hand carved wooden head. She is holding a wooden, hand-made, hand-painted hay or wheat rake. A cloth label sewn into the clothes states, "Hilda S. Ege / Cort Adelersgate 20 Oslo / Made in Norway". The owner states "The clothing is original and the doll is in very good condition". Hilda Ege is mentioned in the book "My People in Wood" by Helen Bullard. Helen Bullard, NIADA founder, was a wood doll carver and doll collector. Helen regularly bought wood dolls from the magazine "Hobbies" eager to learn from each doll. Helen Bullard stated, "It was only when Hilda Ege's, "Grandmother Knitting" reached me that I began to learn something (about carving dolls)". I need information on Hilda Ege's dolls and get some more illustrating photographs. Can anyone help with more information about Hilda's work? Does anyone have old issues of "Hobbies Magazine" that show wood dolls?

Cathy Ellis-O'Brien (ODACA) - Portland, OR (USA)
need more information and a photo
Cathy lists wood as one of her doll mediums in the ODACA membership list but sometimes this only means that she uses wood somewhere in the creation of doll assessories. I need to find out if she has really carved wooden dolls.

Claire Fawcett - City, State ???? (USA)
need more information and a photo
According to an article reprinted in BEST OF DOLL READER - "Carving Dolls" by Clara H. Fawcett, her daughter Claire had carved hundreds of figures 1" to jointed "play" dolls of 20" or more. Claire preferred to work in white pine, cypress, gumwood, white wood, and cherry.

Anne Fehrle (deceased) - (Germany)
need more information and a photo

Anne is mentioned in "THE STORY OF OLD DOLLS AND HOW TO MAKE THEM" by Winifred H. Mills and Louise M. Dunn. I need information on her dolls and photographs.

* Bill & Pat Fifer (Conestoga Miniatures) - Glenmoore, PA (USA)
web page = http://home.earthlink.net/~naya/
 

click on image for a full-length view Shaker Sister Peg-Wooden Doll Photo from Bill Fifer

Bill and Pat produce their dolls as a hobby -- they are not for sale. Bill & Pat Fifer recently achieved artisan status in the very prestigious miniature organization, IGMA (International Guild of Miniature Artisans) and are members of NAME (National Association of Miniature Enthusiasts). They particularly enjoy making story book dolls like Hitty. Bill makes the dolls and accessories and Pat sews the fabulous clothing in perfect scale and appropriate style. Antique Reproduction Peg-Wooden Dolls Hitty Dolls Scale wooden furniture and accessories * Bill and Pat are personal friends. Bill has been a super help with all of my web pages by providing information, photographs, and encouragement. Thanks Bill for your support.

Margaret Finch (NIADA) - (USA)
Marta Finch-Kozlosky (NIADA) - (USA)
need more information and a photo
Margaret and Marta work independently and as a mother (Margaret) / daughter (Marta) team under the name "Trancendence." They list "direct carved wood" and polyform as mediums and their dolls can be seen in the NIADA book "The Art of the Doll".

Margaret Finch used the name "Peggy Lenape" for many of her early dolls. Margaret is a fine dress-maker and worked with other artists as a seamstress/designer early in her career.

Mary Ellen Frank (NIADA) - AK (USA)
 

photo thanks to Rosalie Whyel Museum of Doll Art

Mary Ellen Frank sculpts Eskimo-style dolls dressed in skins in the popular realistic style. Some of her dolls are wood, and some are polyclay. Always ask what the doll is sculpted from. Although Mary Ellen is not a native, she sculpts these dolls with sensitivity and warmth through an understanding and deep respect for the American Eskimo culture. The facial features, body build, posture and dress all ring true in her figures. Also groupings of her figures interact with each other realisticaly. Mary Ellen prefers Alaskan cedar which is a favorite carving wood in this region.

Sister Emily Fox - Tiffin, OH (USA)
need a photo
Sister Emily Fox is a Franciscan nun who has been carving since 1981. She is a member of the National Wood Carvers Association and has had a nice article written about her work in the AWCA publication "Chip Chats" (May/June 1999). Most of Sister Emily's dolls have carved hair. The head hands and feet are attached to stuffed muslin bodies.

Most of Sister Emily's dolls are occupying the wall display cases at St. Francis Home for the enjoyment of elderly residents and their visitors, but some have been lent to special doll displays, doll clubs, store windows, festivals and the Seneca Country Fair. A few have been given as gifts. But some very special dolls have remained in her own collection: a 3-D family photo album/record book and a "smiling Jesus" doll that is her inspiration to keep on carving.

Lynne Gatton - Columbus, Ohio (USA)
need more information

detail of "Piscatorial Percussionist"

Lynne Gatton carves and paints her wooden dolls in a very painterly manner with rich multi-colored shadows and flesh tones. Lynne's featured wood doll within a complex tableau was taken from an illustration by James Christensen called the "Piscatorial Percussionist". another photo: "Piscatorial Percussionist" tableau I read that Lynne won 1st place in the realistic wood doll category at the DOLL MAKERS' CHALLENGE in Branson, MO. Unfortunately a photo of the winning doll was not shown in the Doll Reader Mar/Apr 1997

Sally Gavney - Beloit, WI (USA)
web site = http://earth-art.com/dolls

Photo by Sally Gavney

Sally Gavney made wooden dolls from about 1971 until 1987, when circumstances forced her to quit. Sally started making wooden dolls again in 1998, and has made some cute Hitty dolls. "I started out making dolls similar to the old dolls with black painted hair, and then experimented with carved natural wood hair. Finally I made some baby dolls with their wood left natural and made mohair wigs. I put my initials, SRG, on the back of each doll, and a tag with my name and address sewed into their clothes." Jointed Dolls

Susanne Gibson - (USA)
need more information and photos of her early wooden dolls.

This early NIADA member is much better known for her porcelain dolls.

In the book, “The American Doll Artist - Volume II”, Helen Bullard states: “Suzanne Gibson is best known for her porcelain dolls and especially for her “Kallico Kids” series. She has always loved dolls and had tried making some of her own, carving the first few out of wooden dowels with a razor blade. When she discovered Xacto carving tools, she carved about a dozen dolls out of soft pine and costumed them elaborately. After a long interval she tried i sculptured cloth dolls and then became interested in making dolls with ceramic heads.”

Renee Gregoire - Leicester, MA (USA)
need more information and a photo
Renee Gregoire lists polyclay and wood in her AADA artist directory listing. She was also scheduled to hold a "Carving and Working with Wood Basics) seminar at the 1998 AADA WOW (week of workshops).

Nancy Grobe - Austin, TX (USA)
need more information and more photos

photo thanks to Elaine Jackson

Elaine Jackson reported:    I have a friend in Austin, TX, who was on her way to being an outstanding doll artist when arthritis in her hands made her have to stop carving completely. Fortunately I was able to get 5 of her dolls, between 1982 and 1985. I think she began in 1980, and her last dolls were dated 1986; a very short career; however last year I saw some of her oil paintings in a show, and had to have one. She is now painting both landscapes and portraits. Her name is Nancy Grobe.

Elizabeth & Frank Haines (deceased) (NIADA) - (USA)
need a photo

The Haines were a husband & wife team who worked together in puppeteering: designing, writing scripts, sculpting and performing. When they retired from giving puppet shows, they started to create "bride dolls" avidly researching regional and historical bridal customs and costuming. The Haines became popular lecturers to woman's groups using their accurately dressed dolls as props. Frank and Elizabeth then decided to write several books about bridal customs: "Foreign Brides from Antiquity", and "Early American Brides". Again the Haines illustrated their research with their accurately dressed "wooden dolls". Although both the Haines and their publisher referred to their dolls as "wooden dolls", many or all of the Haines dolls were NOT carved wood - their dolls were actually wood/composition dolls - but carved.As Elizabeth Haines describes their work process in one of their books, "the doll's heads were roughly modeled out of a custom wood composition, and then the details were carved into this material."

Patti Hale (NIADA) - (USA)

comical girl made in 1989 photo thanks to private collection

Patti Hale has made many wooden dolls during her very long dollmaking career experimenting with several different body styles. She typically created jointed wood dolls with carved hair, but wooden headed dolls with cloth bodies and wigs were also made.  Her tools were very simple - Xacto knives, sand paper and paint. Yet she created fun, charming (sometimes comical) wooden characters with her very unique round face style. Most of Patti's dolls were one-of-a-kind but she also sold a well loved edition of "Hitty" dolls with her trademark very round, joyful faces. Unfortunately Patti has told me that she felt she was possibly at the end of her carving career. She finds it increasingly too difficult to carve at her age. More photos: girl with hat and wooden teddy Patti's Hitty

Shirley Ann Hales - (USA)
need more information

Photo by Bill Fifer

I need more info on this doll artist.  Bill found this little, doll house size, wood doll in Park City, Utah. Shirley carved the dolls and they were dressed by 2 other women. Each was numbered. Bill's dolls number is 89-86. (Does this mean: #86 in 1989 or #89 in 1986? Either way you decipher the number, Shirley was cranking the wood dolls out in the late 80's.

Hamilton Collection - manufacturer (USA)
The Hamilton Collection has offered a few wood doll editions from various artists. All are only available on the secondary market at this time.

Some of the Hamilton Collection wooden dolls are:

• 1991 - "GRETCHEN"; designed by ?; LE = 9,850

looks a bit like Little Red Riding Hood with a picnic basket.
• 1993  - "WAITING FOR SANTA", designed by Patricia Ryan Brooks,  LE = 15,000

This adorable little girl has fallen asleep sprawled over the arms of her rocking chair waiting for Santa!
• 1993 - "ARE YOU THE EASTER BUNNY?"; designed by Patricia Ryan Brooks;  LE = 15,000
• 1994 - "SHH! I ONLY WANNA PEEK!"; designed by Patricia Ryan Brooks;  Open Edition

Christmas theme
• 1995 - "BE MY VALENTINE"; designed by Patricia Ryan Brooks;  Open Edition

Sieglinde Hass (retired) - Hall (Austria)
need more photos

click images for full length views photos thanks to Gail Enid Zimmer

Sieglinde was making wood dolls in the 70's - She is retired now. Sieglinde Haas' dolls are truly unique. They are carved in a very stylized, minimalist way. The carving is only apparent in the side view. Her dolls have a very charming overall effect thanks to her expert sewing and regional costumes.  Sieglinde's dolls are only available on the secondary market.

Paula Hemsley - Lancaster, PA (USA)
need more information and a photo

Dolls Magazine January 1999 issue had a 3 page article about wooden dolls carved by Paula Hemsley but a letter to her address listed in this article was returned with "no one by that name lives here".

Does anyone know Paula? Please have her contact me to submit photos of her dolls for these web pages.

Hitty - a very special wooden storybook doll
 

The Original HITTY Photos by Bill Fifer Conestoga Miniatures - What a pretty expression -

"HITTY" Hitty is the famous doll featured in Rachel Field's Newbery Award winning book: HITTY HER FIRST HUNDRED YEARS. A special web page has been created just for her and the many artist's Hitty dolls. Hitty dolls by many doll artists are featured on the LOTZ: Hitty Pages.

Margaret Hoag (deceased) (NIADA) - (USA)
Lotz featured artist page = http://www.lotzdollpages.com/mhoag.html
 

butternut doll by Margaret Hoag butternut doll by Margaret Hoag photos courtesy of NIADA archive

The following statement was written by Mirren Barrie about Margaret Hoag in "The Art Of The Doll", a NIADA compendium of it's artist members: "On an August morning in 1973, in Louisville, Kentucky, the NIADA artists met to vote on a new artist applicant, Margaret Hoag from Vermont. Hoag was bringing her dolls with her on the plane, so there was only one for us to examine, a nicely carved and jointed doll in the butternut she favored, wearing only a skimpy black shift. As she had not arrived by voting time, we went ahead and she was unanimously accepted. We were to learn later that, at just about the same time as she was accepted, she died in a Boston air crash, and her dolls died with her. Those dolls that did not perish are, mostly, in the collections of the members of the Green Mountain Doll Club of Vermont, and of her family. Hoag made dolls because she loved them, and she planned elaborate wardrobes. Historical dolls were often painted, more modern ones were of natural unpainted wood, simply dressed. Hair was either painted or of flax, which had been grown and prepared on the Hoag farm in the late nineteenth century, and costumes were of old materials saved by generations of the Hoag family. No two dolls were alike. They varied in size from six and a half inches to twenty inches high. Most had peg joints, but some had unjointed knees and elbows. Larger dolls had carved fingers, two had carved feet and the others had carved and painted shoes. Eye could be painted, pin heads or beads of glass eyes."

Cyril Hobbins  - (England)
need photos
Cyril says, "My philosophy is that Toys have played, and continue to play, a very important part in the development of our human selves. Toys that move without batteries or clockwork continue to fascinate and amuse people of all ages I have been researching Traditional Wooden Toys from all periods of History and from all around the World for over twelve years now. I then re-create them for museums and for the Toy making workshops that I run for all age groups."

Cyril re-creates: Ancient Egyptian Paddle dolls, Tudor Bartholomew Babies, 18th Century Fashion Babies, Victorian Peg Woodens (or Dutch Dolls), Jointed Dolls & Marionettes.  He specializes in Dancing or Jig Dolls of all types. Cyril explains that, "These include portrait dolls that look like their owner and dance for their supper."

Eric and Peter Horne  - Devon (England)
web site = http://www.erichorne.50megs.com/index.html
 

Eric Horne and his son, Peter, are well known as English wooden doll makers. Peter has left the doll making up to his dad these days but still helps him with his advertising material and displays. Eric is well known for his antique reproduction peg wooden dolls, and Queen Ann dolls but he has created some originals like his golli and Hitty. Eric likes to work amasingly small!

Doris Hupp (deceased) - Stillwater, NJ (USA)
need more photos of her other original dolls

Birch wood Lady carved and dressed by Doris Hupp 1965 Woman's Day Magazine "A Dictionary of Dolls"

Hitty was this artist's first attempt at doll making. Hitty was carved and dressed by Doris Hupp, an art teacher, in 1933 and used to encourage her students to make dolls and furniture. A 1965 Woman's Day Magazine featured Doris Hupp's extensive doll collection to illustrate "A Dictionary of Dolls". There is no picture of Doris' Hitty doll in this magazine, but the article tell how Hitty got her started doll collecting and doll making - her brother joked that "Hitty was the root of all evil" referring to their doll collecting, costuming and doll making that resulted from Doris making this very first doll. This article dates Doris' Hitty as circa 1931 but the label on the doll seems to date the doll to 1933. This original Doris Hupp birch lady doll was pictured in the 1965 Woman's day magazine as one of the examples of wood dolls. Curiously this later doll's hands look very much like Hitty's, but Doris' carving skills had improved a lot from her first attempt at carving. The face is very well rounded and delicately carved where her Hitty doll's head is a bit "blocky".

Her brother, Fred, shared her doll collecting hobby and made some doll accessories in his woodworking shop. As Doris explained "Hitty needed company of fine dolls" like those she had encountered in the book, so she started to scour the countryside to find Hitty some friends. Doris enjoyed refurbishing older dolls and redressing them. In retrospect Doris has received some criticism of her "refurbishing" because some of the antique dolls that were touched up or repainted would have been better left in their original state. Unfortunately most people knew of Doris only as a doll collector - not as a wood doll sculptor.

Doris Hupp's sewing skills were phenomenal! She had a great sense of scale and paid attention to the smallest details. I would expect to find any of her original dolls and all of the clothing that she made marked similar to how Hitty and her wardrobe is labeled.

Doris is considered one of the Hitty pioneers. Doris Hupp's Hitty doll was hand carved from mountain ash and had a wardrobe of 5 handmade outfits, a sweet grass basket, a 1930 edition of the book "Hitty Her First Hundred Years", and an old note that read "This is Hitty. She and her costumes were made according to the descriptions of them in the book Hitty". There are no markings carved or inked into the doll, but each piece is labeled with cloth tape. There is a piece of tape glued to the lower back of the Hitty doll that reads "HUPP.148.33" and each piece of clothing has a tag sewn in a seam with: "the word 'Hupp', a different  sequential number on it, and the number '33'. The book that originally belonged with these had a 1930 copyright date and "Doris Hupp" written on the inside front cover. Some of the sequential numbers are missing indicating that there were originally more accessories to the set.

click here to see Doris Hupp's Hitty (photo thanks to Theriault's)

Edna Hibel (? ? ?)
need more information and a photo

Edna Hibel was born in 1917. Is she still alive? Edna advertised the Bambolina series of dolls with maple heads, hands and legs on cloth bodies. Edna designed these for manufacture (carved and finished) in N. Italy by one of the multi-spindle carving duplicating companies in the Alps. Edna claimed to have made last minute touches in America to each one.

Amy Lou is the first doll in Edna Hibel's Bambolina series. Amy Lou was made in 50 different versions but only 10 of each one, for a total of 500 in the edition.

* Hanna Kahl-Hyland - Hamden, CT (USA)
Lotz featured artist page = http://www.lotzdollpages.com/hhyland.html

Hanna creates hand carved one-of-a-kind wood artist dolls - realistically carved and a very unique Hitty. She also works in other materials but she is an outstanding wood carver.

Hanna is originally from Northern Germany, an area rich in wood carving history. She works primarily in the traditional chisel and mallet methods. This is very time consuming, but she has complete mastery over her medium.

Her dolls have been featured in Tiffany's windows and at the CFM one-of-a-kind celebrity gallery show. -- HER WORK IS FABULOUS.

Cinderella

child with stuffed animal

* Hanna is a special friend. She is also very supportive and gives me encouragement with my carving. Thanks Hanna!